When the Raiders drafted Malik Benson in the sixth round of April’s draft, there weren’t many insiders or talent evaluators predicting he would make the roster in his first season.
But after impressing during OTAs and again in training camp, Benson has become a lock to make the 53-man roster and according to Joe Buck on ESPN’s Thursday broadcast, the head coach and franchise quarterback both believe Benson could develop into a no. 1 receiver.
“Malik Benson. That had first down written all over it,” Buck said on the Thursday night broadcast after a Benson dropped a short pass on third down.
“And Benson, who both [Fernando] Mendoza and [Klint] Kubiak said could be a no. 1 in this league dropped it.”
Benson had two drops against the Texans on Thursday but played well in the Raiders’ preseason opener against the Cardinals.
For the last two weeks, reports have consistently pointed to Benson as Mendoza’s no. 1 target in training camp and Raider Nation Radio’s Q Myers said their connection is building very quickly.
“As much as I talk about Brock Bowers is always open, I’m never surprised when I see a Fernando Mendoza to Malik Benson pass. I’m never surprised anymore. That just looks like a connection and a chemistry that is really, really building very quickly, and you saw Benson on Sunday working with the 1s and the 2s,” Myers said on the Locked on Raiders podcast last week.
Raiders hoping Benson can be more than just a vertical threat
“The Raiders drafted Benson in the sixth round with the belief that the former Oregon wideout could be a vertical threat who opens up the offense and makes explosive plays,” ESPN’s Ryan McFadden wrote at the start of training camp.
“[Benson] showcased that ability throughout OTAs and minicamp. He and quarterback Fernando Mendoza developed a strong connection during practices. Benson was Mendoza’s go-to target during team drills, especially in the middle of the field. The competition at wide receiver is pretty much wide open, meaning Benson has a chance to create a role for himself in Year 1 if his production continues during training camp.”
Benson’s production did continue during training camp, and it would appear from the outside that he has already passed last year’s preseason sensation, Dont’e Thornton Jr., on the depth chart.
Thornton has been dealing with an undisclosed injury since before the Raiders’ first preseason game, and could be sitting on the roster bubble if he can’t get on the field sooner than later.
The other option for the Raiders with Thornton might be to place him on injured reserve and reevaluate him again a year from now.
x: @raidersbeat
I have always held camp and preseason practice information as hyperbole. Complete and total rhetoric born in and from people who get paid to push garbage. There is no value until the pads go on and all the cuts are done. That’s the only reality.
Everything else is what Jim Rome has called,”Fish Wrap”.